AUSTIN, Texas (AP) 鈥� Houston rapper BeatKing, whose booming voice and eccentric songs brought him fame in nightclubs and on social media, has died, his manager said Friday. He was 39.
The rapper, whose name was Justin Riley, died Thursday after fainting during a recording session, Tasha Felder told The Associated Press. Felder, his manager, said Riley was taken to a hospital and that he had a pulmonary embolism.
鈥淗is daughters were with him the entire time," Felder said. 鈥淚t is truly sad, we loved him so much.鈥�
BeatKing, whose club music anthems earned him the name Club Godzilla, achieved his biggest hit in 2020 when his song 鈥淭hen Leave" went viral on social media and peaked at No. 3 on Billboard鈥檚 Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart. He also scored hits with the songs 鈥淐rush鈥� and 鈥淭hick.鈥� His final album, 鈥淣ever Leave Houston on a Sunday,鈥� was released last month.
He was known for humorous, raunchy lyrics and broke through the Houston music scene in 2010 with 鈥淜ings of the Club," reaching Houston鈥檚 younger generation not as familiar with the city's famous slowed music style from and Swisha House.
As a rapper or producer, BeatKing collaborated with major artists including 2 Chainz, Bun B, T-Pain and Ludacris. Although BeatKing didn鈥檛 achieve the national prominence of fellow Houstonians such as and , he found fame throughout the South among fans who admired his sound and authenticity to Houston.
鈥淢y condolences @clubgozilla,鈥� 2 Chainz wrote on social media. 鈥淕od Bless your soul and family.鈥�
鈥淛ust a great spirited person,鈥� Bun B said in a tribute to the rapper on Instagram.
Fans on social media recalled BeatKing's dominance over the club scene in the 2010s. He formed an image for himself by wearing black T-shirts with phrases such as 鈥淚 unfollow back鈥� and 鈥淪top moving to Houston.鈥�
He is survived by two daughters and his partner.
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Hamilton reported from New York.
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Lathan is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Nadia Lathan And Gary Gerard Hamilton, The Associated Press
